The Osceola times., 1887-06-11
THE GREAT NORTHWEST.
One Hundrsdth Anniversary Of Its Cession
% the United States.

- the United states.
The c--sion of the Northwest Terri
tory to the Federal Government forms
an important chapter in the history of
the country. The problem of the own
ership Of the land which the various
States claimed at the far West, was one
of the most serious obstacles TO an
agreement upon the Articles of Confed-
Grafton. As early as l77s. Maryland
insisted that the western limits of the
States ought TO be restricted. and the
title TO the western lands vested in the
United States. Her argument was ex-
pressed the following year In the in-
structions of her General Assembly 10
her delegates in Congress:
Suppose, for instance, Virginia IN
disputably possessed of the extensive
and fertile country to which she has
set up claim, what would be the
probable consequences to Maryland of
such an undisturbed and undisputed
pos ession? Virginia, by selling on
the most moderate terms small pro-
portion of the lands in question, would
draw into her treasury vast sums of
money. and. in proportion to the sums
arising from such sales. would be ena-
bled to lessen her taxes. Lands COM
paratively cheap and taxes compare
lively low, with the dear lands and
taxes of an adjacent State. would
quickly drain the State thus disadvan-
tageously circumstanced of its most
useful inhabitants; its wealth and its
consequence in the scale of the confed-
Grated States would sink"
Delaware, in 1879. presented to Con-
gress several resolutions of its Legis-
lature, declaring that as the tract of
country west of State frontiers would
be won from Great Britain by the
blood and treasure of all, it ought to be
"a common estate" The resolutions
also included the following:
"Resoiced That this State thinks It necessary
for the peace and safety of the States TO be In
cluded in the Union, that moderate extent OF
limits should be assigned for such OF those
States as claim TO the Mississippi or South Sea
bled should and ought TO have the power OF fix
ing their western limits"
In the spring of 1880, New York
passed an act empowering its dele
gates in Congress to cede to the
United States the territories in which /,
claimed proprietary right, giving as
reason that il found the Articles OF
Confederation opposed by some on the
ground "that portion Of the waste
and uncultivated territory within tn,
limits or claims of certain States ought
to be appropriated as common fund
for the expenses of the war" Its ac-
ton was expressly declared to be un.
dertaken "to accelerate the Federal al.
lance by removing the before-men.
toned impediment." Congress there
upon asked all the States having claim,
to the Western country TO follow the
example of New York. This Virgins
was foremost to do, in 1884. Massa
chusetts, Connecticut, the Carolina
and Georgia followed. In several cases
if not in all, proprietary rights owe
some tracts were retained, but thcs
were small in proportion to thos
yielded.
Virginia's noble gift was the North
western Territory, out of which wer
duly formed Ohio, Indiana, Illinois
Michigan and Wisconsin, with par
of Minnesota. 1t was promptly ao
cepted. and a temporary provision
made for its government This CAV
way to the famous Ordinance of Jul
l3. 1887, the final article of which pro
vided that there should be neithe
slavery nor involuntary servitude il
the Territory, except for the punish
ment of crimes, expressly adding, how
ever, a provision for the return of fugi
tives, from whom labor or service i
lawfully claimed in any one of tn,
original States"
Two forts already existed in thi
territory north of the Ohio, and the or
dinance of 1887 expressly provided 70
the property of "thc French and Cana
dian inhabitants and other settlers o
the Kaskaskias, St Vincents, and th'
neighboring villages who have hereto
fore professed themselves citizens o
Virginia" But il was in the sprin.
following the passage of the ordinanc
of 17s7 that the first regular colon.
was sent from the original States, I'M
der General Rufus Putnam, and estab
lishcd itself at the junction of the Mus
kingum with the Ohio, naming the SET
tlement Marietta. General st. Clail
the new Governor of the Territory, an
Winthrop Sargent, the Secretary, 500
followed, and the place was strongl
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